Musician brings innovation to Gamelan

Musician brings innovation to Gamelan

JAKARTA (JP): Now, it's the turn for music lovers at the Third
Indonesian Art Summit. After four exquisite dance performances
brought to the stage by renowned local and international artists,
the latest piece of music by Balinese musician-composer I Nyoman
Windha will create a unique atmosphere at the festival.

For two consecutive days, on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2 at Gedung
Kesenian Jakarta in Central Jakarta at 8 p.m., the composer,
known for his ability to imbue traditional phrases or forms with
unique and surprising flair, will perform his fresh, latest piece
of music for the festival's audience.

Titled Simponi Bambu (the Bamboo Symphony), the 45-year-old
lecturer at Denpasar-based Indonesian Arts Institute will present
his new exploration of the gamelan orchestra.

Simponi Bambu will artistically challenge the domination of
percussion as the main musical instrument in the Balinese gamelan
orchestra, creating a different image of the island's traditional
gamelan. People have so far assumed the strong use of percussion
instruments as the trademark of Balinese gamelan.

However, in his exploration, he discovered other musical
instruments that are also prevalent in Balinese gamelan. Suling
(traditional flute) dominates the Gamelan Gambuh orchestra, while
mandolin (stringed instrument) in Gamelan Mandolin. However, they
are less popular than those based on percussion.

Through his new works, the musician, whose materials for his
creations are usually derived from a wide variety of instrumental
and vocal music, will try to present suling as dominant
instruments in his new composition by blending it with melodious
vocal elements.

Exploring music is not something new for the musician. He was
guest artistic director at the California-based Gamelan Sekar
Jaya orchestra for three different periods between 1990 and 1994
and became a musician, lecturer and composer for the Anggur Jaya
gamelan orchestra in Germany.

His previous works are said to have displayed his talent for
innovation within a traditional framework. They evoke a unique
atmosphere, which draws on older musical styles as well as non-
Balinese idioms. His works have been staged at various events,
including the Young Composers Week organized by the Jakarta Arts
Council. He has also performed at events abroad including a
recent tour he made to the United States, Hong Kong, Japan and
Europe. (ste)